Picking Up the Pieces
by SolarTrigger
Summary: A young lady finds herself a part of the Monster crew after being "attacked" one night. She and the others discover that her transformation is part of an ominous plan for the world. It's amazing how an alien invasion can influence the human mind.
1. Chapter 1

**Picking up the Pieces**

**A/N:** This is my first fanfic! Constructive criticism is appreciated, but flames are not; I'm still a beginner.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Monsters vs. Aliens. The only thing I own is my OC, and the random club.

**Edit:** My muse is still being mean and hiding from me, but I'm trying to re-write this whole story. Let me know if you like the changes or not.

Chapter 1

_Click! Clack!_

_Click! Clack!_

A tall young woman sighed as she walked the city streets, her high heels hitting the cold pavement in a hurried rhythm. Her long black hair trailed behind her slightly as a result of her brisk pace; her bangs, usually side-swept, hung over her left eye, leaving only one bright-green eye visible. A cool breeze rolled past her, and she willed the urge to shiver away. The young woman glanced briefly at the nighttime sky, her visible eye filled with an anguish that she preferred not to voice. A blink later, she regained her composure and assumed an almost apathetic expression.

Being nighttime, clubs were open and beckoning to potential customers with bright signs and intoxicating beats; the laughter of those who chose to partake of such services was scattered on the air, swelling in volume whenever the young woman walked by those buildings. The scent of hot food and cold drinks was strong, and the troubled woman rubbed her temples to ward off a headache.

She needed to unwind, but she was unsure if she was up to handling the public in a club setting. It wasn't as though she was outrageously famous; sure, a couple of people knew of her considering her line of work, but other than that she preferred to keep a low profile. No, her predicament was that she was _very_ tense, and didn't feel like causing a scene if her temper got the best of her; it would only put her in a worse mood than she was already in.

Still…

Without realizing it, the young woman had paused outside of a large building sporting a simmering red sign. She could feel the vibrations from the music beneath her feet, and the temptation to go inside quickly grew. While the young woman debated, she eyed the intimidating looking bouncers that were stationed outside the double doors. They kept a steady gaze with her, looking neither pleased nor disturbed by her presence. She pressed her lips together, very close to breaking eye contact and walking away, but eventually made her way over to the muscled men. After a flash of ID and an exchange of money, the young woman walked inside.

The first thing she noticed was the large, glossy black dance floor lined with multi-colored lights; it was currently filled with a mass of swaying and stomping bodies. Along the west wall was a long bar that emanated a spicy scent as well as steam from freshly prepared snacks. Booths, tables, and chairs were scattered around the bar and along the edges of the dance floor. Though the young woman admitted to herself that she was a little hungry, she wanted to forget the day's events as quickly as possible; so, she weaved her way into the middle of the dancing crowd.

After a few minutes, the young woman found herself caught up in the hype music. Her movements grew swifter as her previous worries temporarily fled her mind; her hips swayed, her feet smoothly crossed the black tile, her pulse raced. The D.J. began adding his own personal touch to the music, and the new mixes only caused the woman to dance even more. A half-smile even found its way to her lips.

The tempo of the various songs gradually decreased until it was as casual as it was when the young woman first entered the club. She was surprised to learn that a couple of hours had passed, and decided that a break couldn't hurt; maybe she could even grab a quick bite to eat. She began to weave her way off the dance floor, but a hand grabbed her wrist and jerked her back. Shocked and slightly irritated, she turned to face the culprit, but was distracted by a sudden pain in her left leg.

She hissed in pain as something was roughly extracted from her leg, and immediately bent down to gently clutch the wound; an extreme stinging sensation exploded throughout her leg. The green-eyed woman quickly looked up, but whoever had grabbed her was long gone. She glanced around, but it appeared as though the other dancers hadn't noticed the incident; it was evident in the way they continued to laugh and dance around her. She muttered to herself, and made her way off the dance floor as quickly as she was able to.

After asking an employee, the young woman made her way to the restroom. She was grateful to find the area free of any other customers, and bent down to inspect the damage. The wound itself seemed to have been created from a decent-sized needle, was puffy around the edges, purple like a bruise, and had blood trickling from it. She cursed to herself and stood up, grabbing a couple of tissues from a box on the counter and turning on the faucet; the least she could do was clean the wound.

Before she could wet the tissues, a startling dizziness overtook her, and she gripped the edge of the counter with such ferocity that her knuckles turned white. She looked at her reflection in the mirror: her hair hung limply past her shoulders, her bangs were stuck to her face, her brown skin was pale, and her pupils had shrunken to tiny black dots. She started shaking, and nausea clawed at her stomach, causing her to hang her head and stare blankly at the counter.

The young woman could hear her heart beat more rapidly in her ears, and wished that _someone_ would walk in the bathroom at that moment; she severely doubted she had the energy to deal with whatever was happening to her alone. No one walked in. Instead, her grip grew lax, and she felt herself falling; she blacked out before hitting the floor.

* * *

She wasn't sure how long she had been out, but that was the least of her problems. When the young woman came to, she slowly opened her eyes, only to find that her vision clouded by black spots. Her skin felt as though it was on fire, and it stung wherever it made contact with the cold floor. As she struggled to get up, a gasp caught her attention, and she slowly lifted her head.

Several women gazed at her, seemingly frozen, and her anger grew. Why would you simply _stare_ at someone who appeared ill? If you weren't going to help them, there was no point in doing such a thing; it just made you look like a jerk. Just as she rose to her feet, the other women screamed and fled the bathroom; the young woman gritted her teeth as the noise made her head pound.

Though she was still a little shaky, at least she was on her feet. The young woman then chose to focus on getting actually help from someone in the club, and slowly walked out of the restroom. Within seconds of her entering the main room, the place exploded into pandemonium: people yelling and rushing to the doors, drinks spilled, chairs and tables overturned, and the D.J. booth abandoned. The young woman had difficulty concentrating, and couldn't figure out what the people were running from.

She continued to stumble across the mostly-deserted dance floor when her ears picked up a metallic sound. When she looked up, as if to contrast her burning skin, the young woman's blood ran cold; her vision hadn't improved, but she could make out one of the bouncer's from before facing her, a silver gun in his hands. Her eyes widened and her lips parted in protest to his actions but it was all in vain.

She heard the shot, and pain exploded in her right ear; she briefly wondered if it had been blown off. A crimson tint was added to her already handicapped sight, and both hands flew to the injured area. The sound of the gun cocking foretold another shot. Without another thought, the young woman ran; the bullet hit the wall behind her. Her need to escape was so great that the young woman didn't even notice that she was running faster than usual. By the time the bouncer turned to shoot again, the only thing left was a trail of blood splatters.

* * *

Cheers could be heard all across Paris as the monsters said goodbye. Escargantua had been swiftly dealt with, and precautions had been taken to help prevent another animal from falling in a nuclear reactor again. To top it off, there had been minimal damage to the city, which made the paperwork all the easier for Monger.

As the monsters were making their way to Insectosaurus, the praise grew louder, making it clear that the people didn't want them to leave yet. Link winked at a group of women, and they screamed/fainted in response to his charm. The loveable blob held his precious jello close to his body, excitedly waving to the crowd and basking in his love's silent congratulations. Dr. Cockroach and Ginormica signed autographs for their fans, smiling humbly at the attention.

The gentle butterfly even uttered a soft growl, smiling at those who chose to wave at her. The other monsters finally climbed aboard the waiting butterfly and were about to take off when a familiar large airship hovered into view. It remained in the air, and everyone looked up at it expectantly; a few moments later, Monger's voice boomed out at them via loudspeaker.

"Hold it, monsters! You can't go home just yet; you've got another assignment!"

Susan decided to act as the spokesperson, especially since she was the only one Monger would be able to clearly hear.

"Where to, General?" she asked.

"The outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. Be prepared for anything!" the general ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Ginormica answered.

The large aircraft took off south, and with a beat of her mighty wings, Insectosaurus followed close behind; after a while, the butterfly took the lead.

"I wonder what we'll encounter in South Africa," Dr. Cockroach mused as the wind blew across his antenna.

"Whatever it is, I can handle it," Link bragged, flexing his muscles.

Dr. Cockroach rolled his eyes while Susan giggled. B.O.B. unintentionally ignored the fish-man as he cuddled with his green girlfriend. Insectosaurus let out an appreciative screech, and put on a burst of speed for the next continent.


	2. Chapter 2

**Picking Up the Pieces**

**A/N:** Thank you, Artistwerewolf! I'll keep trying to do my best.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Monsters vs. Aliens. Just my OC, who will be named in the next chapter.

**Chapter 2**

It was a long ride, and the monsters were eager to exit the large airship when it landed at the base of a mountain. As she walked out into the blazing sun, Susan looked up at said mountain, admiring its sheer size.

"That's Table Mountain," Monger explained from his jeep on the ship.

"I can see how it got its name," Dr. Cockroach commented.

Link didn't care too much about Table Mountain. His attention was focused on his butterfly friend who had landed and was currently panting, eyelids drooping. He jumped up to and landed on Insecto's nose, and patted the gentle beast.

"You gonna be okay, buddy? Do you need me to stay with you?"

Insectosaurus answered with a half-hearted screech, but nuzzled against Link's hand. The fish-man smiled and jumped down to join the others.

"We'll be stationed here until you retrieve the new 'specimen'. Good luck, and be careful, monsters," Monger said.

"Specimen?" B.O.B. asked.

"Monger means the new monster, B.O.B.," Dr. Cockroach explained as the group began walking south toward the city.

"New monster? Where?!" the blue mass asked, his eye shifting in every direction. Dr. Cockroach simply sighed.

"Just cuddle with your jello, B.O.B.," Link suggested, and B.O.B. was more than happy to oblige.

As they walked, Dr. Cockroach pulled out a device that looked like a combination of a gameboy, a compass, and a radio antenna. He pressed a button, and the screen lit up, showing a red-green dot in the lower-left corner.

"What's that, doc?" Susan asked, noticing the doctor fiddling with the device.

"It is, simply put, a Monster Tracker. It hones in on unusual DNA, and the color of the dot depends on how stable the DNA is. Green means it's safe, while red warns us to exercise extreme caution," Dr. Cockroach explained.

"That's incredible!" Susan gushed, beaming her smile at the now flustered doctor.

"Thank you, my dear, but it's still in beta," he managed to say.

"Give yourself more credit! It's still amazing!" she pressed, unaware of the burning sensation Dr. Cockroach felt in his cheeks. He finally bowed and smiled up at her.

"I'll take your word for it, my dear."

Link walked up to the doctor with a smirk on his face, and flashed him a thumbs up before walking past him. Dr. Cockroach huffed and turned his attention back to the tracker.

* * *

Susan wiped the sweat from her brow as she gently pushed a few more branches out of her way. They had been walking for hours, and the heat was starting to get to them. The giantess glanced down, worried for the others, especially Link. The fish-man had remained silent after complaining about the lack of water. His scales were dry, and she wasn't sure how much longer he could last.

Dr. Cockroach didn't miss this worried glance, and it warmed his heart whenever he saw Susan's concern for their well-being. He was aware of Link's dilemma, but had done his best to remain optimistic. B.O.B. hadn't really noticed the change in temperature, though his gelatinous form had more air bubbles in it than usual. His beloved jello had been put "somewhere safe", though one could only image where that safe place was.

The doctor was about to speak when Susan exclaimed from above:

"Hey, guys! There's a river up ahead!"

"All right!" Link shouted, and began running full-force toward the promise of hydration. Dr. Cockroach smiled at his friend's enthusiasm, but the smile disappeared when he looked at the tracker screen.

"Link, wait!" he yelled, running after the fish-man.

"Sweet, a race!" B.O.B. cheered, and did his best to catch up. Susan had heard the warning tone in the doctor's voice, and increased her pace.

The river was long and wound in gentle curves beside tall grass. A couple of trees provided shade over sections of the river, giving it a spotted look. Link dove in head-first into the clear water, relishing the cool liquid. Dr. Cockroach paused by the river bank to catch his breath. B.O.B. came out of nowhere, laughing and nearly knocking the good doctor down. Susan peered down, eyes scanning the river.

"Link!" she called.

The fish-man resurfaced with a wide grin on his face. He put his hands behind his head and floated on his back.

"Much better," he mused.

Dr. Cockroach had now regained any lost oxygen, and pointed to the machine in his hand.

"Our 'friend' is close by!" he said in a hushed voice.

Link understood at the exact moment a low growl emanated from the brush behind him. He quickly backed up to the opposite bank, but got in a fighting stance once he was at a safe distance.

"According to the Tracker," Dr. Cockroach assessed, "the DNA is half-way stable, but we should still be careful."

"Could've told me earlier," Link mumbled.

Susan, heeding Dr. C's words, slowly stepped closer to the edge of the river, and looked down to perhaps gets a birds-eye view of what they were dealing with. The creature was in shadow, but she worked out that it was lying down, an arm slung across its face. She held back a gasp as a pair of eyes suddenly looked back at her, and slowly backed away until she was next to the others again.

"What is it, Susan?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

His question was answered by a rustling sound across the river, followed by a noise resembling a groan. Everyone remained silent as a tall figure came into view. Said figure slowly made its way to the riverbank until it almost looked like it would walk into the water. The dappled sunlight made the creature seem more intimidating.

The creature was female, had a lean build, and was wearing a dress that was a bit short for someone of her height. Her skin was light-brown and adorned with narrow dark-auburn stripes, the most striking on her face. Long black claws acted as fingernails; shorter claws as toenails. Peeking out from long, wavy black hair were tiger ears that mirrored her skin; there was a bloody, bullet-sized hole in the right ear. A matching tiger tail trailed behind her. The eyes that watched the monsters were golden with a layer of green overlapping, and smoldering with irritation.

Silence reigned until B.O.B. shouted:

"Oh! It's a kitty! I wanna pet it!"

The "kitty" didn't take that comment too well, and growled once more. She took another half-step forward, but her body began to tremble. She glanced down at herself, then back to the monsters. Susan noticed a hint of fatigue in the tiger-woman's eyes.

"I don't think she wants to fight…" the giantess began.

"Of course she does! Can't you see how she's shaking? You think you can take on a ninja, sweetheart?" Link taunted as he turned his attention from Ginormica to the mystery woman. He received a glare in response from the latter.

"Link, stop it! I think she's just exhausted," Susan finished.

"I agree. She doesn't seem to have the strength to stand, let alone fight," Dr. C commented. B.O.B. still looked like he wanted to pet the tigress.

Everyone was surprised when they heard the rush of wind, and Insectosaurus landed behind them. The tigress snarled and got into a defensive position despite the tremors. Insecto looked down at the creature and uttered a long screech. The tigress looked at the butterfly with a puzzled expression, glanced at the others, and then looked at Insectosaurus again. Insecto snorted and leaned down a little to smile at the creature.

Before Link could translate, the tigress relaxed into her earlier position, most of the anger in her eyes replaced by fatigue. Her gaze traveled to Susan, and the giantess received the faintest of nods before the tigress collapsed into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Picking Up the Pieces**

**A/N:** It's been a while. Things are slow now, but they'll pick up speed with the next chapter. ^^ Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read this story.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Monsters vs. Aliens. I only own my OC.

**Chapter 3**

All of the monsters, excluding Insectosaurus, basked in the air conditioning as the new monster slept a few feet away from them on the floor of the airship, covered with a camouflage-patterned blanket. Ginormica looked at the sleeping feline, worry clearly defined in her facial features.

"Poor thing. We're almost ready to land, and she's still asleep," the giantess fretted.

"Don't worry, my dear. I'm sure she'll be right as rain once she wakes up," Dr. Cockroach comforted.

Ginormica smiled at Dr. Cockroach, and then reached out a hand to gently pull B.O.B. back over to them. Said blue mass had been trying, for the past couple of hours, to pet the "sleeping kitty".

The airship bumped the ground, slid a little, and then stopped, indicating that the monsters were back in Area 50-classified. The doors opened, and the group wasn't surprised to see Monger already outside the aircraft. The general motioned toward the blanket.

"Did she ever wake up?" he asked.

"No, sir," Dr. C answered.

"Hmm, we'll keep an eye on her until she does. We don't want to risk her fainting again," Monger commented.

The others agreed, then, with the exception of Link and B.O.B., proceeded to carefully move the she-monster from the airship to the large "common room" of the hidden facility. Oddly enough, the feline didn't stir once. She was placed next to Insectosaurus, who was already resting from the tiring trip.

Link walked up to the enormous butterfly, and gave him a reassuring pat on the side.

"You earned some rest, buddy."

The fish-man earned a slight nuzzle before Insecto dozed, barely aware of the creature beside him. Link then turned to the others.

"Who wants to play cards until Sleeping Beauty wakes up?" he asked.

B.O.B. eagerly joined the aquatic hybrid, but Susan politely declined.

"The cards are too small," she explained with a small smile.

"What about you, Doc?" Link asked again.

"No thank you, Link. I have some preparation to do," the doctor replied, already scribbling on his notepad.

"Hey, Link! Let's build a HUGE house out of cards!" B.O.B. exclaimed, reaching for the cards on the metal table. The fish-man sighed; it wasn't like an actual game would be as fun anyway without Insecto telling him B.O.B.'s cards.

Meanwhile, Susan peered down at the doctor while he fiddled with his Monster Tracker.

"What are you up to, Doc?" she asked.

"I'm searching the feline DNA log. So far, nothing has matched the DNA that the tracker picked up when we met our guest," Dr. Cockroach explained.

Ginormica simply nodded and watched the scientist cockroach as he worked, admiring the cutely serious face he made. After a few moments, Dr. C noticed and shot her a curious look, which she responded to with a beaming smile. Susan missed how his questioning gaze melted into one of bliss when she turned her head at the sound of a chair being thrust back.

Link had attempted to grab at the card house that B.O.B. had knocked down, but it was in vain. The cards skid across the floor, landing around the new monster. Dr. Cockroach was grateful for the distraction. _Those beautiful, bright blue eyes always hypnotize me_, he thought as he turned his gaze back to the tracker.

B.O.B. was laughing, so he didn't notice Link freeze when the tigress' ear twitched followed by a grumpy groan. The feline stretched and suppressed a yawn before her eyes fluttered open and she locked gazes with Link. The fish-man slowly got off the table, not once breaking eye-contact with her. Susan gently nudged Dr. Cockroach to get his attention. When he looked up, she gestured in Insecto's direction.

The tigress cautiously stood up, the blanket falling to her feet. She didn't look as angry as before, but it was still wise to be careful. Her eyes honed in on Dr. C as the tracker emitted a single _beep!_

"Excellent! Her DNA has completely stabilized," he said.

The tigress raised an eyebrow at this statement, and then smoothly crossed her arms over her chest. Her stance was casual, and her eyes expectant. However, before Dr. Cockroach could ask her anything, B.O.B. rushed forward with a happy-go-lucky grin on his face.

"You're a pretty kitty!" the blue mass complimented.

The tigress took a step back and glared at him. B.O.B. moved even closer and reached out with a blue hand.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. Her voice was husky, but definitely female.

"I wanna pet you!" B.O.B. answered.

The tigress watched the innocent blob for a few seconds before huffing and crouching down so that he had easier access to her ears. B.O.B. pet her head and then scratched behind her left ear. The tigress seemed to calm down a little.

"All right, that's enough," she said, and returned to her previous position.

"Forgive him, my dear. B.O.B. can be…affectionate," Dr. C explained, "I'm Dr. Cockroach, and you are?"

"…June," the tigress replied.

"Like the month?!" B.O.B. piped in. She simply nodded.

"I'm Susan," the giantess said, offering June a warm smile.

"The Missing Link; Just call me Link for short. And behind me sleeping is Insectosaurus," Link finished.

"…Ahh. I recognize you all now. From the news," June commented. She glanced down, and frowned at her attire. She seemingly ignored the other monsters while she tried, in vain, to pull the short dress down. After a few awkward seconds passed, June gave up with a sigh.

"It fit just fine before…" she mumbled.

Dr. Cockroach didn't miss this, and whipped out his notepad to take notes. About the same time, the Monster Tracker beeped again. Dr. C put the notepad away, and took a look at the device.

"Here we are! The tracker found a match! Let's see…" the doctor began, "June, my dear, you've somehow gotten Sumatran tiger DNA into your system."

June blinked. She kept her gaze on the bug doctor, who was now growing uncomfortable. Susan noticed, and decided to intervene.

"June, do you remember how…this happened?" the giantess asked.

A stoic expression remained on June's face, but her eyes revealed thought and anger. A low growl bubbled in her chest.

"Yeah…" the tigress muttered.

"Would you mind telling us?" Ginormica gently prodded.

Before June could answer, the main door opened, and Monger rolled in with his Jeep. He stopped a few feet from the monsters, hopped out, and walked right up to the tigress.

"So you finally woke up," the general observed.

June simply stared Monger down, wanting him out of her personal bubble. Monger ignored her seething irritation and inspected the pattern of stripes on her face and limbs.

"Dr. Cockroach, what have you discovered about this young lady?" he asked.

"Sir, her name is June, and she has Sumatran tiger DNA in her body. She also went through a growth spurt, though it wasn't as radical as Susan's," the doctor explained, offering a smile to said giantess who returned the favor.

"And how did Miss June turn into a monster? The report didn't say," Monger asked, obviously displeased at the lack of information.

"She was just about to tell us," Susan said.

"Well, then. Go on," Monger commanded, finally backing away from the tigress. June narrowed her eyes at him before starting.

"There's not much to tell. I was dancing at a club, and someone decided to stab me in the leg with a needle; no, I didn't see who it was. I went to the bathroom to inspect the damage, starting feeling sick, and blacked out. After I woke up, chaos ensued. People fled from the club, and the bouncer freakin' shot at me. I ran before he could shoot again."

"And when were you aware that you had become a monster?" Monger asked.

"When I collapsed for the fifth time far from the city limits, near the base of Table Mountain. It was hard to ignore the odd reflection in the river when I attempted to hydrate myself," June replied.

"Wait a second… You seriously ran all the way from _town_ to the _mountain_ before we got there?" Link questioned. June nodded, her eyes grim at the memory.

"All right, that's enough for now. Follow me, ma'am, it's time to get cleaned up. You too, Dr. Cockroach. I want you to run a physical when she's through," Monger said, walking back to his jeep. He paused before entering the vehicle, turning toward the feline.

"Oh, and the government has dubbed you Huntress."


	4. Chapter 4

**Picking Up the Pieces**

**A/N:** Wheee! I apologize for the delay! My muse and technology are fickle! Thank you for reading and for the comments. Without further ado, here's the next chapter. :3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Monsters vs. Aliens. Only my OC.

**Chapter 4**

Susan was now sitting beside the sleeping Insecto, watching B.O.B. and Link play go-fish. The fish-man had long gotten tired of the routine consisting of building a house of cards, followed by 52-pick-up.

"Wow! I'm actually beating you, Link!" B.O.B. exclaimed after claiming yet another of the hybrid's cards.

"My game's just a little off today, that's all…" Link mumbled, even more embarrassed by Susan's giggle.

"You shouldn't rely on Insecto so much," she advised, "at least not where cards are concerned."

Link merely grunted, his eyes still focused on his hand. All three of them looked up when they heard the door open. Dr. Cockroach came in first, but paused when he didn't hear footsteps behind him.

"It's all right, my dear," he coaxed to the dark doorway.

A few seconds passed before June entered the common room. She was wearing an orange, short-sleeve, hooded shirt and dark denim shorts that, thankfully, fit her new height. Her hair fell past her shoulders in natural waves, and there was a large gold hoop earring in the bullet hole. June's expression remained stoic.

"So…?" Susan prompted.

"Here's the diagnosis," Dr. Cockroach began, "The Sumatran tiger DNA has overall enhanced June's body. Her average temperature is 104 degrees Fahrenheit, her claws can rip through most metals, and she is very strong, though it wouldn't be considered super strength. The DNA has also been somewhat of a blessing and a curse to her speed."

"Care to explain, Doc?" Link asked.

"Of course. The DNA has strengthened her leg muscles, but she can't run very fast for very long, such as natural tigers. This is why tigers prefer to stalk their prey and then pounce rather than chase from a distance. This also leads to my final conclusion: if June attempts to run a great distance again, such as from Cape Town to Table Mountain, before she gets used to her new abilities, it could be fatal," Dr. Cockroach concluded.

Susan glanced worriedly at June, but the latter simply shrugged.

"Don't worry, my dear. June shouldn't have a need to run like that again any time soon," Dr. C consoled.

Susan smiled at the doctor. A subdued roar signaled Insectosaurus waking up. The large butterfly opened his eyes, and screeched when he saw June. The tigress smiled slightly at the greeting.

"He said hello," Link explained.

Huntress looked at the fish-man and her eyes narrowed. Link stared her down before he remembered something.

"Oh yeah…sorry about the ninja thing earlier. How about we start over?" he offered.

June stared at him before turning her head. Link scoffed.

"Ya know, an answer would be nice," he muttered.

The tigress whipped her head back in his direction.

"Don't talk to me," she snapped.

"Hey! I'm trying to make up for earlier!" he exclaimed.

"I don't care. Your cockiness has already made a bad impression on me. And for the record, I could take on five ninjas, _sweetheart_."

"And you called _me_ cocky!"

Link and Huntress growled at each other before Monger flew in on his favorite jetpack.

"All right, break it up, monsters! We've got another sighting, so bundle up and get ready to head to Antarctica!"

"What about June's predicament?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

"I was getting to that. I want you monsters to do some reconnaissance on this new specimen, check to see if it's linked to Huntress' case," the general added.

Dr. Cockroach nodded and left to prepare, along with Susan and B.O.B., though the latter was simply following the other two. Link and June stared each other down until Insecto growled and Link went to check on him.

"Here, Huntress. You ought to get some nourishment before we break you into the routine," Monger said as reached behind the jetpack and threw something at June.

She wrinkled her nose when she noticed that her "food" was a dark, bloody leg, freshly ripped from a poor animal.

"Water buffalo," the general explained before flying out of the common room.

June simply stared at the limb, finding it unpleasant but enticing at the same time. She reasoned that it must have been the Sumatran tiger DNA. Without further ado, she began to eat with gusto. Link made a grossed out face. Sure, Dr. C may have found his fish nasty, but it didn't compare to this.

"That is disgusting," he commented from his place in front of Insectosaurus.

"I'll tell you what's disgusting," June began after nibbling the last bit of meat off the bone, "that face of yours."

The fish hybrid scowled at the tigress as he watched her walk away.

* * *

The monsters were now on the airship, Insecto flying outside. The butterfly's wings were outfitted with a temporary force-field device that would protect the sensitive wings from the cold. Susan and Dr. Cockroach wore hooded parkas, snow boots, and pants. B.O.B. and Link wore nothing as usual, and June's attire hadn't changed; she had denied the cold-climate garments that were offered to her before she boarded the aircraft. She was currently sleeping, curled up a few feet from the others like before.

"I thought she was still tired," Susan commented, inwardly pleased that Huntress was resting.

"Yes, June acted like she was fine, but as soon as we took off, she was out like a light," the doctor agreed.

"Poor kitty…" said B.O.B., his single eye sad.

"Whatever…" Link mumbled.

"Link, don't be so hard on her. She'll warm up to you soon," Ginormica encouraged.

"Trust me, the both of you will have to learn to tolerate the others' presence since she's here to stay," Dr. C finished. Link merely grunted.

Monger appeared from the upper level.

"Get ready to disembark! And would somebody wake Huntress up?" he commanded more than asked.

B.O.B. eagerly oozed forward and started petting June's ears.

"Come on! We get to play in the snow now!" he shouted.

Her ears twitched, and a slight frown adorned her features. She remained curled up until B.O.B.'s petting became insistent. June immediately sat up and glared at the blue blob, who was blissfully unaware of her irritation. Susan chuckled as the doors opened and B.O.B. rushed out. Link sauntered past Huntress, who ignored him and stretched before leaving herself. Dr. C and Ginormica followed as well.

The group was face to face with pure white landscape. Snow swirled constantly in the frigid air, and blanketed the ground. The sky was iron gray, and it was impossible to see into the distance. Insecto landed beside the others, snorting as the snow dusted his eyelashes. While the others remained silent, B.O.B. opened his mouth, catching a majority of the falling snowflakes. After a few seconds, he closed his mouth.

"Refeshing!" he exclaimed, and did it again.

Dr. Cockroach took out the Monster Tracker, and pressed a few buttons and tweaked the antenna.

"It looks like we're heading west," he declared.

"How far west?" Susan asked.

"Just a few miles, my dear," the doctor answered.

"All right," the giantess replied, and zipped up her parka a little more before following the bug doctor.

B.O.B. noticed the rest of the group leaving, and quickly oozed to catch up. Link walked by Insectosaurus, ignoring the feline that was walking beside the excited blob. The butterfly screeched at Link, and earned a pat on the side.

"I know, buddy. …I'll try."

Silence reigned for a while, with the exception of the occasional shout from B.O.B. The atmosphere was heavy with mystery and a slight hint of danger, and it was wearing down on the monster crew. Link decided that now would be a pretty good time to reconcile with June. Again.

"Hey…Huntress?" he called out.

Nothing. He tried again.

"…June?"

Still nothing. The fish-man sighed, and was caught off-guard by a hit to the face. When he picked himself up off the ground, he discovered the remains of a snowball on his face. When he looked up, June's back was still to him, but he saw her brush snow from her hand to her shorts.

"Hey!" he growled.

She looked over her shoulder at him and raised an eyebrow in askance.

"Would you quit with the snowballs?" he hissed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied coldly, returning her gaze to the front.

"Don't play dumb with me…" he muttered.

"Don't talk to me," she repeated.

Link glared at her, but didn't get a chance to retaliate, because the group had just reached a cluster of igloos. People had poked their heads outside due to the vibrations caused by Ginormica's footsteps. When they saw who was headed their way, a few quickly headed toward them, pleas of aid already leaving their lips.

"All right, everyone, calm down. We are here to help, but perhaps you could tell us more about this new monster?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

Susan couldn't help but admire the doctor's ability to subdue chaos, and had to hold back a loving sigh. June turned away and looked into the distance as Dr. Cockroach spoke with the locals. B.O.B. was occupying himself by spinning round and round in the snow, making a "snow angel", which looked more like a deformed circle. Link subtly picked up some snow, made a snowball, and threw it at June. The tigress glared at him, fuming, as the doctor thanked the locals and turned to the others.

"It seems as though a group of men were headed on a fishing trip, when one of their comrades suddenly fell ill. Before they could see what was wrong, the young man transformed into a beast, and began attacking. Luckily, the rest of the team survived, but they're not sure as to what exactly happened," Dr. C debriefed.

"Sounds like me," Huntress commented, wiping snow from her cheeks.

"Indeed, and the Monster Tracker has informed me that this specimen is completely unstable. We need to be very careful. He could decide to come back and attack the rest of the locals," Dr. C warned.

"Then maybe we should have someone stay back to protect them," Susan suggested.

Insectosaurus screeched.

"Insecto says he'll do it," Link translated.

They bid farewell to the butterfly, and headed further west, adrenaline now filling their veins. June's ears perked at a shuffling sound, but it was drowned out by the others' footsteps. She thought for a moment that it could have just been Link's tail trailing along the ground, but the tackle to her side proved otherwise.

Huntress was on her back, face to face with what appeared to be an angry polar bear. It was foaming at the mouth and towered over her in all its crazed glory. She barely noticed the humanistic tweaks, such as hands and ears, before the bear roared and swiped at her. It barely missed.

Link had snapped out of his surprise first and head-butted the mammal from the side. The polar bear stumbled, but regained footing and charged at the fish-man. Link braced himself, intending to hold the beast, but was knocked aside. Dr. Cockroach had long started to think of a plan.

"June, Link! Lure him further away from the villagers! Susan, once it's weakened, capture it!" Dr. Cockroach ordered.

The others nodded and set to work. June and Link took turns attacking the bear from his blind spots, but still received a few bruises here and there. June, who wasn't used to her powers yet, nearly had her arm sliced off twice, but Link managed to push her away in time. Susan watched as all three fighters were panting heavily, their limbs acting as deadweight in the freezing air. The polar bear was relentless, and began charging again, swinging his claws wildly. Link dodged, but slipped and fell, cracking the ice and bruising his lower back.

June was currently behind the deranged bear, stealing a glance at her downed comrade. The bear paid no mind to anything else except Link. He seemed to have forgotten about its second opponent, and was preparing a final blow for the fish-man. Even though she knew it would be cutting it close, June sunk to all fours, and crept up behind the unsuspecting ursine. Right as Link's neck was about to be crushed, June pounced onto the bear's back, holding on with her claws and he thrashed.

The ursine gradually slowed and stopped convulsing, and fell to the ground on its belly, eyes glazed and white breath escaping its open mouth. Link slowly got up as Huntress unhooked her claws from the bear's fur. Ginormica gently bent down, and picked up the polar bear with one hand, covering him with the other. Her grip was just tight enough so that he wouldn't escape. Dr. Cockroach walked up to the fighters.

"Well done. Now, let's take a look at this lad…" he began.

Susan lowered her hands to the ground, but noticed something happening to the bear in her grip.

"Oh!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Picking Up the Pieces**

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews, guys! ^^ I'm happy to see that you're enjoying the story so far.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Monsters vs. Aliens. I only own my OC.

**Chapter 5**

Dr. Cockroach glanced at Susan before his gaze slipped down to the creature in her hands. What he saw surprised him as much as the giantess. The polar bear's animalistic features were receding; white fur turned to pale skin, claws became nails, and the body shrunk in size. After a mere 15 seconds, there was a young man in Ginormica's grip. Unconscious, but human nonetheless.

June had watched the process in silence, frowning to herself. Link gaped and was the first one to speak.

"What the heck?!"

"I'm not sure," Dr. Cockroach answered as he crawled up to Ginormica's shoulder, "but first, let's get this poor fellow somewhere warm."

Susan nodded, and covered the body as best as she could before quickly making her way back to the village. Link and June jumped onto Susan's feet and held on. It didn't take long for the giantess to reach the igloos, which were now joined by an array of tents. It looked like Monger already had things set up for analysis. Ginormica headed for the largest tent toward the center of the cluster.

Insecto snorted as Dr. Cockroach, Link, and June hopped off. The giantess opened her hands and allowed the scientists to carry the young man inside, with the bug doctor following. B.O.B. oozed up to June and Link, the latter eyeing him suspiciously.

"And where were you?" the fish-man asked.

"I told you guys that I was gonna stay and help protect the people. Duh! And I thought I didn't have a brain," B.O.B. slyly replied.

"That was _Insecto_, B.O.B.," the hybrid growled.

"What?! I totally called it before he did!" the blob exclaimed.

Link sighed. June was turned away from them, arms crossed over her chest, looking into the snowy distance. Susan noticed the feline, and felt a sense of frustration, and perhaps loneliness, from her. She opened her mouth to say something, but Dr. C had come out of the tent, scribbling in his ever-handy notepad. A perplexed expression adorned his features.

"How is he, Doc?" Ginormica asked.

"Well, we confirmed that the young man did indeed have polar bear DNA in his body, but somehow his own DNA fought off the foreign DNA and he returned to normal. We triple-checked to assure his humanity," he explained, putting the notepad away.

"That's strange…" she mused.

"Yes. I'd like to run a few more tests. And June, my dear? Would you mind if I took a sample of your DNA to compare phenomenon?" Dr. C asked.

June looked over at him and nodded. The two of them went inside the tent, leaving the other four monsters to reflect on the incident.

"What do you think could have caused this?" Susan asked Link.

"Santa!" B.O.B. shouted.

"…No. And I'm not sure, Ginormica. I'm still shocked that the guy turned human again," Link replied.

Insectosaurus screeched and snorted.

"You could be right, Insecto, but I guess we'll have to wait until the quack finishes his tests."

"Dr. Cockroach isn't a quack! He's a brilliant scientist!" Susan defended.

"Brilliant, huh? You must really like him," Link said with a smirk. He chuckled when a rosy blush painted itself across Susan's cheeks.

"We're just friends, Link," she almost whispered.

"Sure, and B.O.B. has a brain," Link countered.

Susan glanced over at the blob, whose single eye was sparkling as he neared an igloo.

"Ice cream!" he said happily, and proceeded to lick the ice house.

"B.O.B., stop! That's someone's house!" Link yelled.

"You mean you can live in ice cream?!" the blob whispered excitedly, his childish imagination running wild. Link could only sigh once more.

Susan giggled at B.O.B.'s behavior as Dr. Cockroach and June returned outside. She looked down expectantly at them.

"The fellow still needs plenty of rest, but he's conscious now. Upon further inspection, we discovered a needle sized hole in his left shoulder," Dr. C began.

"He didn't see who had done it to him, either," June added.

"So the cases are definitely linked, and I've found that June's DNA readily accepted the foreign DNA, unlike the young man. Her DNA was only half-way stable when we found her because her genes were violently fusing with the tiger genes. Even though the process was violent, the genes fit like a jigsaw puzzle. A wonder indeed…," the doctor finished.

"But who would be going around making monsters? And why?" Ginormica asked, a hint of worry coloring her voice.

"Unfortunately, I don't know, my dear," Dr. C replied, his antenna lowering.

The monsters looked up when they heard a loud bang, and saw the airship landing. The doors opened and Monger was standing inside.

"Come on, monsters! You've got another assignment! Dr. Cockroach, once you're aboard, I want you to give me a report of your findings," the general commanded.

"Yes, sir," said Dr. C.

"Can you handle another long flight, buddy?" Link asked the gentle behemoth. He was answered with a snort and nuzzle. Insectosaurus shot off into the air, while the other monsters boarded the aircraft.

Once the doors had closed and the plane took off, Dr. Cockroach, with Susan's help, made his way to the upper level and began conversing with Monger. June sat in a seat in a nearby jeep and leaned back, attempting to relax a little. Link was occupied with B.O.B., so Susan thought that this was a good opportunity to check on the tigress.

"June?" she prompted. The feline turned her head so that she could look at Susan.

"Um, how are you holding up?" the giantess hedged, "it can't be easy having to fight so soon after you've…changed.

"I'm fine," June replied.

"That's good," Susan beamed, "you did awesome considering."

Emotion flashed in June's eyes, but she turned her head away before Susan could identify what she had seen.

"Did I…say something?" the giantess asked, beginning to worry again. June sat in silence for a few seconds before turning her head to face the other woman.

"No," she said softly, and hesitantly added, "Thank you."

Ginormica smiled again. She looked up when she heard Monger cough, and helped Dr. Cockroach back down to the lower level; he was now carrying a large first aid kit.

"Keep up the good work, monsters. Your next stop is New South Wales, Australia. Be ready to fight as soon as we land," the general said, and then left.

"Monger mentioned that this mission is the same as what we did in Paris," the doctor told the others.

"Good! We can focus on the action," Link said as he stretched, wincing when his lower back throbbed.

"First, we need to tend to your injuries," the doctor said as he opened the kit.

Link sauntered over to the doctor, who pulled out towels and ice packs.

"You too, June. Even as a monster, it wouldn't do to leave a bruise untreated," Dr. Cockroach said as he helped Link apply ice packs to the injured areas.

June reluctantly left the jeep and approached the doctor, who was currently trying to keep B.O.B. from eating the ice packs. Susan reached down and picked up the eager blob, earning a smile of gratitude from Dr. C. June was wrapping ice packs for herself while Link shook his head at the cockroach and giantess.

"Wait 'til you're alone, lovebirds!" Link called, laughing at the flustered and annoyed expressions on Susan's and Dr. C's faces, respectively.

"Ahem…_anyway_, you two will need to hold the packs to your bruises for 30 minutes, elevating your legs and arms if they are injured. After that, we'll apply a heating pad to them. Being a monster does come in handy, because you'll be good as new in little over an hour," the doctor explained.

June nodded, and watched as Link began making his way toward a jeep. She reached into the kit, pulled out an extra ice pack, and threw it at Link's lower back. It landed right on the wrapped pack he was holding with a _smack!_

"Oww!" he hissed, and turned sharply to glare at the feline.

B.O.B. laughed from the surprised giantess' hand. Dr. Cockroach allowed himself a small smirk.

"It wasn't a snowball," June said as she walked past Link, "but it worked just as well."


	6. Chapter 6

**Picking Up the Pieces**

**A/N:** Ya'll's compliments embarrass me, he he, but it's all good! I'm just glad that you're enjoying yourselves. 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Monsters vs. Aliens. Just my OC, June.

**Chapter 6**

The monsters were currently walking through the Outback, the late afternoon sun beating down on them; Insectosaurus had stayed behind with the airship, needing a break from nonstop flying. The threat had moved away from the cities along the coast, and was currently hiding in the wild brush. Monger had ordered them to flush it out and capture it if possible.

Hours had passed, and everyone was feeling at least slightly irritable due to the heat, except B.O.B. He went on and on to Link about how his precious jello was waiting for him back at Area 5-ugh! The fish-man was only half listening; his irritation had increased with the obvious lack of water, and June's retaliations. The latter was fed up with him as well. The both of them had been going at it ever since their bruises had healed. Poor Ginormica had tried to resolve the situation peacefully, but in the end, Dr. Cockroach shut them up with a quiet threat of experimentation.

Susan wiped sweat from her brow and looked as far into the distance as she could. She still saw nothing but geology in front of her, nothing moving out of place. For some reason, the Monster Tracker was on the fritz, and Dr. Cockroach had been dutifully trying to repair it. He had uttered countless apologizes, mostly towards Susan, but the giantess had shrugged it off, telling him that she believed he could fix the problem in no time. Too bad she missed the cute, almost shy smile that had appeared on his face from her encouragement.

Ginormica's impatience was finally quenched when she saw a group of trees move away from one another. She stopped walking, and the others noticed when they didn't feel the gentle vibration of her footsteps. She squinted her eyes, thinking that the sun may be skewing her vision with optical illusions. It now looked like a whole forest was splitting apart.

"What's wrong, my dear?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

"There's something in the distance…and it looks pretty big," she warned.

"It looks big to _you_?" Link asked incredulously.

"Well…more wide than tall," Susan amended before her eyes widened. Whatever was in the distance was now merely a couple hundred feet away, and the giantess saw that it wasn't one threat: it was four. The threats resembled cheetahs, their yellow spotted coats gleaming in the light.

"Guys, there are four instead of one! And they almost reach my knees!" she exclaimed while prepping herself to fight.

"Wha? Seriously?!" Link growled, knowing that he was at a disadvantage.

By now the cheetahs were within the others' sight as well. B.O.B. seemed happy to be "surrounded by kitties", but Dr. Cockroach quickly told him that those cats were dangerous. June narrowed her eyes and crouched down as she waited for the animals to come closer.

She wasn't expecting to meet any of them with a sickening thud.

June's oxygen fled her as a cheetah slammed into her abdomen, sending her into a tree. She tried to hook onto the fur with her claws, but noticed something was off: the animal was metal. The tigress fell and gingerly rubbed her stomach before yelling.

"These guys are metal!"

"What does that mean?" B.O.B. asked while stuck to the surface of one of the cheetahs.

"We don't have to hold back," Link growled, dodging swipes from his opponent.

"And I can shut them down," Dr. Cockroach added, dodging a head-butt and scurrying up the machine's leg.

He found a door on the back of the creature disguised as another spot, opened it, and hopped down. Inside was a maze of complicated circuitry, narrow pipes, and flashing lights. The doctor paused for a mere second before heading down a hallway.

Susan had grabbed the cheetah that B.O.B. was stuck to, and crushed the legs, immobilizing it. B.O.B. poked the crumpled limbs and laughed.

"That's why it's better not to have any legs!" he exclaimed.

June groaned as she hit the ground for the fifth time.

"I'm barely leaving a scratch on this thing!" she hissed, managing to move away in time before a tail whipped her way.

Ginormica quickly helped her teammate, grabbing the cheetah from behind and squeezing it close to her. When she dropped it, it looked as though it had been compressed. Meanwhile, Dr. Cockroach had finally found the control center. The mad scientist within him couldn't help but admire the technology that had gone into creating the robot. His expert fingers typed away on a sleek keyboard as he hacked into the system. His focus grew as he came across a program.

It featured illustrations of all four cheetahs; two were dark. The doctor guessed that they had been defeated. What caught his attention was a red dot that shone in the center of the cheetah he wasn't occupying; it signaled a living being within the machine. Dr. Cockroach gritted his teeth, and decided to shut down the robot rather than cause it to self-destruct. Monger would want to examine it anyway.

After typing in an override code, the bug doctor made his way back to the exit as the robot began to slow and ultimately turn off. He sprang up from the secret door as the cheetah stopped in its tracks. A quick look around told him that Susan had been crushing the threats, and was heading for the last one.

"Wait, Susan!" he yelled as he slid down the robot's leg.

"Ah--! Doc!" the giantess stuttered, turning to look at him.

"There's a person inside the last robot!" he explained, making his way toward her, "Don't crush it! Just hold it still!"

June and Link got out of the way as Susan grabbed the legs of the mechanical beast. It resisted her hold, but she was stronger. Dr. Cockroach took the opportunity to crawl up Susan's side, down her arm, and onto the beast's back. He found another disguised door, and dropped inside.

The feline and fish-man were resting against the trees, panting from the fight. B.O.B. oozed over to them, looking proud.

"I didn't even break a sweat!" he announced. He received glares in return.

Susan's gaze honed in on the cheetah as she felt it stop struggling. She gingerly put the animal down, and waited for the return of the doctor. The others moved in closer, wanting to find out what the Doc was up to as well. After a few minutes, the doctor came up, holding a slender human-like kangaroo.

As he laid the kangaroo on the back of the metal cat, the features began to change, and everyone was fairly surprised to see a woman at the end of the process.

"Again…" Susan muttered.

"Yes. This confirms it for me: someone is deliberately changing these people," Dr. Cockroach said with a frown.

"Why do it, though?" Link asked.

June remained silent, musing over the earlier conclusions that the doctor had made concerning her DNA. A faint sense of unfairness fluttered in her chest as she gazed at the unconscious woman. Her thoughts were interrupted by Dr. Cockroach.

"You know something? This means that those cheetahs were simply decoys to distract us from the real problem," he deduced.

"I'm glad you noticed it, Doc. If you hadn't, and I had crushed…" Susan trailed off.

"It's all right, my dear. None of us knew. Now, let's get this young lady somewhere safe," he said.

The monsters watched as soldiers loaded the undamaged cheetahs onto larger-than-normal helicopters. A nearby medical tent housed the young woman that Dr. Cockroach had rescued. Tests showed that she was completely human, and the bug doctor had found another needle hole, located on her right arm. After a little interrogation, it turned out that the case was the same as the first two times: the victim never saw a trace of anyone.

Dr. C was massaging his temples, aggravated at being unable to determine why such a thing was happening. Susan glanced at the cockroach, and gently petted the top of his head with her index finger, carefully avoiding the antennas. The doctor's face heated up, and he coughed embarrassedly, golden eyes smoldering with untold affection. _If only we didn't have a case on our hands…_ he mused, unaware of Ginormica's similar thoughts. _He's been working so hard...it hurts my heart to see him so frustrated._

June stared at the busy soldiers, vainly trying to deter her thoughts from the case. She couldn't help but wonder what her transformation was the beginning of. She had mixed feelings concerning her change, and was doing her best to adapt to the situation. A strong desire to know _why_ it had happened burned within her. This time, Huntress was broken out of her reverie by Monger.

"All right, monsters. We've obviously got plenty of work ahead of us, and I can see that you're running on empty right now. Perhaps a night out along the coast will help clear your heads," he said.

"Wait, you're giving us a night off?" Link asked, surprise evident in his voice.

"Yes, but you're expected to be ready to go in the morning," the general warned.

"Still…thank you, General," Susan said with a smile.

"No thanks necessary, ma'am. We'll drop the lot of you off at Sydney. Enjoy yourselves, monsters," Monger said.


	7. Chapter 7

**Picking Up the Pieces**

**A/N:** I keep repeating myself, but thank you! For the comments and patience. The lyrics that are used in this chapter are from Love Game by Lady Gaga, and Trust by Keyshia Cole ft. Monica.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Monsters vs. Aliens, nor the songs used in this chapter. Only my OC, June.

**Chapter 7**

Sydney was lit with various lights that glimmered on the surface of the water. Music and laughter could be heard from just about every building, indicating that the nightlife was already in full swing. The monsters were currently walking down the streets, waving to fans and signing autographs as they went. June had quickly been introduced as a new recruit, and already had her own admirers. She was silently amused that they took her stoic disposition as mysterious.

"All this attention is strange," she mused after signing another T-shirt.

"On the contrary, my dear. We're monsters, and heroes. Attention is to be expected," Dr. Cockroach said.

"No, _ya'll_ are heroes," June corrected.

She watched as Link flirted with every woman that he passed, eliciting gasps and shy giggles from them. He would pick a large group of them up to show his strength, and posed whenever a camera appeared in front of him. The tigress snorted at this display, and turned her attention to the neon signs.

B.O.B. was zealously waving at his fans, throwing in an odd joke here and there, enjoying the warm cheers. Insectosaurus screeched happily at the hyper crowd. Ginormica and Dr. Cockroach each had to deal with fan-boys and fan-girls, respectively. Shouts of "I love you!" were often thrown at them, which were received with a friendly smile.

"_Okay_, where do you guys wanna go?" June asked, getting a little irritated at how the fans were slowing progress.

"We've gotta hit the clubs," Link smirked.

"Karaoke!" B.O.B. exclaimed.

"Anywhere is fine," Susan put in.

"I'm with Susan," Dr. C added, blushing when he realized exactly what he said.

Insecto snorted, which translated as "anywhere with music".

"I'm wanting to dance, so let's hit a club," June decided.

"My dear, are you sure? Didn't your…transformation happen at a club?" the doctor asked.

"S'all right. What's done is done; whoever did it can't do anything else," June reasoned.

"More importantly, you actually agreed with me on something," Link commented, smirking once more.

"Just wait," Huntress warned.

Just as the tigress had predicted, she and the fish-man began arguing over which club to check out. The type of music, the atmosphere, what drinks were served, and what age the crowd was were a few factors that the two monsters kept fighting about. The other monsters, excluding B.O.B., were getting irritated at constantly walking. Right before Dr. Cockroach or Susan could intervene, Link and June finally decided on a club.

Link, June, and B.O.B. went on and rushed inside, but Dr. Cockroach stayed near Susan. The giantess bent down to see him, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Aren't you going inside, Doc?" she asked.

"Yes, my dear. But so are you," he replied.

Ginormica's confusion was more evident, but she watched with curiosity as the doctor pulled a small patch out of his pocket.

"I didn't have much time, but this patch should last the night. It will temporarily remove the quantonium from your body," the doctor explained.

"Oh, Doc!" Susan gushed.

She was still as Dr. Cockroach placed the patch on her left hand. The latter watched, with accomplishment burning in his eyes, as Ginormica slowly returned to her normal height. When it was finished, she glanced at the patch, and saw that it was glowing green.

"It worked! Thank you!" she exclaimed, and hugged the bug doctor tight.

"Y-You're welcome, my dear," he stuttered, returning the embrace.

They separated, told Insecto to enjoy the music, and headed inside.

The club was very large. A long metallic bar sat in the center, acting as a divider between the two dance floors. The floor was glossy, and reflected the flashing lights hung along the walls; the latter was also decorated with different advertisement posters. DJ's were stationed at each dance floor, keeping the crowd energized and moving.

B.O.B. and Link were at the bar. The loveable blue mass was eating plates of food, and Link was already downing his first bottle of beer. Huntress was on the left dance floor, already jumping to the beat. Dr. Cockroach and Susan headed to the bar to get something to eat, wanting to relax a bit before heading to the dance floor.

* * *

After tossing back his fourth beer, Link slid away from the bar, and sauntered over to a dance floor. He noticed some of the ladies winking at him, and calling him over, and was more than happy to join them. Despite the number of drinks he had consumed, the aquatic hybrid moved his muscled form easily to the tempo of the music.

He laughed with the women, taking the time to dance with each one. A red-head with stunning green eyes danced with him a little longer than the rest, kissing his cheek before she returned to her friends. He felt a cocky smirk tug at his lips as he continued to move. However, he backed into someone, and turned around to find long, wavy hair in his vision.

"Hey, wanna dance, sweetheart?" he asked, confident that she would accept.

June immediately thought that Link's expression was priceless when she turned and he saw that it was her.

"That's the second time you've called me that," she observed.

"Nevermind. You probably can't dance anyway," he muttered.

"Wrong. I _can_ dance…much better than you," Huntress countered.

"Really, now? Let's see what you got," Link challenged as a new song started to play.

_Let's have some fun, this beat is sick  
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick  
Let's have some fun, this beat is sick  
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick_

Both of them began moving, their feet stepping in time with the beat. They locked gazes with one another, determined to show the other up. The music continued to play, lyrics floating around and tempting the dancers.

_Let's play a love game  
Play a love game  
Do you want love?  
Or you want fame?  
Are you in the game?  
Dans, the love game_

As the song went on, Link and June gradually stopped staring the other down, becoming consumed by the music. Link glanced at Huntress, and saw that she had started moving her hips to the beat. It wasn't necessarily inappropriate, but Link's face quickly burned at the subtle gesture. June saw a glimpse of Link's face, but thought that it was the drinks getting to him.

_Hold me and love me  
Just want touch you for a minute  
Maybe three seconds is enough  
For my heart to quit it_

A minute or so later, the song ended, and June looked triumphant with a smirk on her face and hands on her hips.

"Well?" she prompted.

Link took this moment to get a good look at the tigress. Sure, he had seen her plenty of times, but this was the first time he _really_ looked at her. The gold in her eyes brought attention to the green overlapping, invoking a sense of dangerous mystery. Her stance, though casual, exuded strength. The fish-man admitted to himself, albeit reluctantly, that Huntress was attractive. But so were the other ladies at the club.

His train of thought was broken by June's exaggerated cough.

"You got _some_ skill, but that's it," he answered, turning away from her.

"Where are you—," she started, slightly annoyed.

"Checkin' on Insecto," he threw over his shoulder.

June frowned at the hybrid, but left him alone. She then made her way back to the bar, but paused before making it there. She saw Dr. Cockroach and Susan chatting, occasionally becoming flustered. The tigress held back a sigh. It was painfully obvious that the two liked each other; it was telling the other how they felt that kept them from advancing.

_That's it. They need a push_, Huntress decided, and made her way to the D.J. booth. She easily weaved through the crowd, and found a brunette about her age talking to the D.J. The woman saw her, and a large grin plastered itself across her face.

"You're the new member, Huntress!" she exclaimed.

June was a little surprised that the woman didn't have an accent, but pushed the random thought aside.

"Yeah. Say, can ya do me a favor?"

* * *

Dr. Cockroach and Ginormica shared another laugh as they finished off the rest of their food and drink.

"Are you having fun, my dear?" the doctor asked.

"Yes! I can't thank you enough for coming up with this patch," she beamed.

Dr. Cockroach couldn't help but admire the woman in front of him. Her silver locks caught the flashing lights, her sapphire eyes seemed to shine, and her lips were a deeper red than usual, giving her an overall ethereal beauty. A content grin tugged the corners of his lips upward.

"You're quite welcome, Susan. But wouldn't you like to dance?" he asked, gesturing to the dance floor. The former giantess blushed and looked down at her hands.

"I would but…I'm not much of a dancer, and I'm not sure I can keep up with the fast tempo…" she explained.

"My dear--," the doctor began, but was cut off by the DJ.

"All right, ladies and gents! We've got your blood pumping, but now we're gonna slow things down a bit so you can catch ya breath!"

Dr. Cockroach smiled and got off the bar stool, extending a hand to Susan.

"See, my dear? You don't have to worry, I'll help you," he said.

Susan got up from her seat, and shyly took the offered hand. The doctor guided her to the dance floor, where they were soon joined by other couples. The intro music began playing, considerably calmer than the previous songs. It wasn't slow enough to be considered a slow song, and Susan bit her lip, nervous.

"Don't be nervous, just stay with the beat, not the melody," Dr. C soothed.

_Let me be the one who can take you from all the things you've seen  
And if you trust in me I can be there for anything you need  
Give it all to me, baby  
Don't you run from me, baby  
I'll give you every little piece of me  
No, I won't leave out a thing  
Cause I know_

_I know you've seen a lot of things in your life  
It got you feeling like this can't be right  
But, I won't hurt you; I'm down for you baby (I know you've seen a lot of things)  
I know you've seen a lot of things in your life  
It got you feeling like this can't be right  
But, I won't hurt you; I'm down for you baby (I'm down for You baby)_

Dr. Cockroach and Susan didn't pay much attention to the lyrics at first, the former helping the latter ease into a dance that complimented the beat. By chance, both glanced at the DJ booth, and saw a brunette singing into a microphone.

_Let me show you, love can be easy  
If you just let it be (If You let it be)  
Nothing is promised, but I believe it  
If you give it everything (TRUST)  
And I'll give you everything that I've got (I Got)  
And I won't stop until you get it right (right)  
All the trust (trust), and all the love (the love)  
You know we got a lot baby_

When the chorus played again, the doctor and Ginormica wondered where the second voice was coming from, but decided that it was probably the DJ's doing. They turned their gazes to each other, secretly happy that they were holding the other. By now, they were listening to the lyrics, and were surprised at how well the song described them.

_I trust you.  
I love you.  
I want you.  
I need you.  
Baby, I breathe you.  
Never leave you.  
Life wouldn't be the same without you. _

Gold and blue eyes widened, the meaning of the lyrics hitting home. A rosy blush colored Susan's cheeks as she gazed at the doctor, the urge to confess her feelings welling up inside her. She was unaware that Dr. Cockroach felt the same, and vice versa. They subconsciously leaned closer to each other.

_I trust you.  
And I love you.  
And I want you.  
And I need you.  
Baby, I breathe you.  
Never leave you.  
Life wouldn't be the same without you._

They met in a chaste kiss, eyes closing as they felt the passion behind the other's lips. The lyrics blurred with the music as they became lost within the other, releasing something from their very cores. Simply put, it was pure bliss. Even as the song grew softer as it reached its end, they remained as they were.

* * *

Outside, Insectosaurus had been dancing/bouncing to the music that the club was playing. He told Link that he was enjoying himself, and the fish-man had petted his foot before going inside, back to the bar. The butterfly was glad that the DJ had slowed things down, and was then visited by B.O.B.

"Hey, Insecto! Did you know there's a lady inside with two voices?" the blue blob asked.

Insecto screeched softly, trying to tell B.O.B. that there were really two women, but gave up after watching the blue mass become distracted by the neon sign above the entrance; B.O.B. wouldn't have understood anyway. The butterfly smiled at the club below, knowing fully well who had been singing.

* * *

After the song ended and the DJ began playing something else, June came out from behind the DJ booth. She gave the brunette her microphone, and flashed her and the DJ a half-smile.

"Thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

**Picking Up the Pieces**

**A/N:** Whooo! Another chapter is finally up! Thank you guys for the reviews, and I'm glad to see that some people like my OC. It makes me feel like I managed to keep her from being Mary-Sue-ish. Also, the next chapter will be the last. I'm actually excited because this will be the first multi-chapter story I've ever finished! Still, it's bittersweet 'cause I'm having fun. :D Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Monsters vs. Aliens. Only my OC.

**Chapter 8**

Morning found the monsters in the common room of Area-who-knows-where, recovering from their shenanigans the night before. Well, Link was the only one that was trying to heal, considering how much he drank. Said fish-man was currently at the breakfast table, resting his head beside his pile of beloved fish.

"Monger warned you," was all Huntress said as she devoured the pile of water buffalo meat before her.

"Shut up," Link muttered, picking his head up so that he could eat as well.

Dr. Cockroach had been picking at his garbage, once in a while glancing up at the giantess who sat a few feet away from him. She didn't seem to be in the mood to eat either. When she glanced down, she locked gazes with the doctor. Both felt their faces heat up, and looked away.

"You guys are too quiet!" B.O.B. said as his ham dissolved in his gelatinous form.

"That's because Link's not running his mouth as usual," June said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. The large pile of meat was now completely gone.

"And June was too busy _swallowing_ her food," the hybrid commented, biting off the head of a fish. He received an icy glare from the tigress.

"Ignore him, B.O.B. He's just sore 'cause I beat him on the dance floor," Huntress said.

That obviously riled Link up, and the two were once again arguing. While they were going at it, with poor Insectosaurus and B.O.B. as witnesses, Dr. Cockroach snuck away from the table, and skittered over to Ginormica. He crawled up her leg, and onto the table.

"Hello, Doc," she greeted, smiling as she fiddled with the spoon in her hands.

"Hello, my dear. Forgive me but, are you all right?" the doctor asked.

Susan was about to answer, but looked at the table, a blush rising to her cheeks again.

"Well, to be honest, I've never felt better," she whispered.

"I…I feel the same, my dear," he replied.

"It was…strange. How that song described…the way I…" Susan began.

"Felt?" Dr. C finished.

"Yes," she breathed, surprise evident in her facial expression.

"If I may be so bold? Susan, when you first came to the facility, even after you tried to crush me with that very spoon, I felt something for you. And that something became stronger as time passed, through all the experiments, and alien clones. I…" the doctor trailed off, too embarrassed to continue.

"Doctor…after I realized what a jerk Derrick was, I found myself comparing him to you. And…I clicked with you more than I ever could with that selfish man," she confessed.

"So, my dear, that kiss…?" Dr. C began.

"Meant more to me than you know," Ginormica finished, finally looking up at him.

Dr. Cockroach took a deep breath, a determined expression on his face.

"My dear, would you grant me the honor of being my…girlfriend?" he asked, his voice hitching a bit on the last word.

Susan was speechless at first, but a gentle smile and blush graced her face.

"_I_ would be honored," she whispered.

Dr. C felt a grin work its way across his face from the look in her eyes. He couldn't help it; he unleashed one of his best mad scientist laughs. It caught the attention of the others below, and he immediately stopped, feeling embarrassed. Susan chuckled nervously.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"It's all right, Doc," Susan comforted, petting the doctor's head and minding the now twitching antennas.

Insectosaurus smiled at the newly formed couple, and then screeched at everyone. Before Link could translate, June spoke.

"Fuzzy's right; we need to finish up here and get started with the analysis," she said.

"Wait…you --?" Link began.

"Understand Insectosaurus. Now move it, we've got work to do," June replied, stepping away from the table.

"Huh," was all that Link said.

* * *

"OW!"

Link rubbed the back of his head and glared at the offender and her weapon: June holding a folder stuffed with paper. Her stoic expression didn't budge as she shoved the heavy file into the hybrid's hands.

"You're supposed to be looking through these reports, not day-dreaming about who-knows-what," she said, as if that justified her actions.

"Look, I'm not into this sort of thing; that's up Doc's alley," Link explained, pushing the file toward Huntress.

"That's an excuse," she commented, sitting down next to him, but ignoring the folder he was trying to thrust at her.

"It's the truth," he growled, slapping the file on the table. He glanced over June, wishing that he could get out of work like Insecto and B.O.B; the butterfly was eating a large bowl of nectar, and the blob was playing with a red ball.

"Quit whining and look," she snapped, opening the folder and pulling out roughly half of the paper.

"You're actually going to help me?" Link asked, reluctantly picking up a sheet of paper.

"No, I'm helping Dr. C. He asked me to look through some of these because he knew that you would slack off and miss something important," June muttered, already focused on the typed words. Link scoffed before he began reading.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cockroach was carefully inspecting DNA under a microscope, once in a while commenting on the similarities and differences. Susan wrote down whatever the doctor said, asking questions that helped the doctor gather more data.

"Doctor? Looking back at these observations, it looks like there's something in the polar bear DNA and the kangaroo DNA that wasn't in the Sumatran tiger DNA," the giantess said.

"You're right, my dear. But these mystery particles are so tiny that I'm having trouble identifying them," Dr. C explained.

"Don't get frustrated; you'll figure it out," Susan encouraged. That earned a chuckle from the bug doctor.

"Thank you, my dear," he replied, and then went back to looking at the slides of DNA.

Time steadily passed as the monsters ploughed through all the data. Monger came to check on them at regular intervals, and was inwardly impressed at their dedication. It was around lunch when the smaller groups came to disturbing conclusions.

"Hey, Doc!" Link called as he and June walked over to the cockroach and giantess. They had moved on from looking at files to inspecting the debris at each monster sighting.

"Yes, Link?" Dr. C asked, taking one last look at the microscope as if to confirm something.

"Remember those robot cats we fought in Australia? There's a reason why only Ginormica could leave a dent in 'em," the hybrid began.

"I have a feeling it's connected to what I found in the DNA," Dr. Cockroach said grimly.

"The metal that the cheetahs were made of is the same stuff that made up Gallaxhar's ship!" the fish-man concluded.

"Oh dear. That confirms it, then. The particles that I found in the animal DNA were Gallaxhar's DNA. More specifically, broken and thus mutated genes," the doctor summarized.

June's ear twitched.

"I have _alien DNA_ in my body?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

"Oh no, my dear. Only in the polar bear and kangaroo DNA, which is what strikes me as odd," Dr. C mused.

"Doc also found that, unlike June, the human DNA in the other cases somehow fought the foreign DNA, and that's how they reverted back to normal," Susan added.

June frowned to herself.

"Then why is my DNA the only DNA that's accepted the change?" she half-asked herself.

"I don't know, my dear," Dr. C replied.

"What we _do_ know is that Gallaxhar is behind all this. I'm just wonderin' how no one could notice a big squid alien stabbing them with needles," Link said.

"He may have accomplices," Dr. Cockroach threw in.

"But who would be willing to help someone who tried to enslave the Earth?" Ginormica asked.

Just then, Monger came through the door, his usual jetpack strapped to his back. He flew over to the monsters, taking in their disturbed expressions.

"All right, monsters. What have ya found?" the general asked.

Dr. Cockroach told him their findings, and that earned a grunt from Monger.

"Figures. We'll get to work on finding that alien. In the meantime, ya'll need to move out! We've got another monster sighting from scientists in the Sahara Desert, most likely connected to the last string of incidents," he debriefed.

"Aw'right, more action! Now this is my forte," Link bragged to June, though the latter was ignoring him.

"We're conducting maintenance on the airship, so Insectosaurus will be your transportation," Monger explained, before heading out of the room.

"I've wanted to ride Fuzzy," Huntress said as she began climbing up the tall butterfly's side.

"His name's Insecto," Link corrected as he began his series of jumps before landing on said butterfly's nose.

"You call him buddy, I call him Fuzzy. Deal with it," June said from her perch on top of Insectosaurus.

Ginormica easily ascended the butterfly, but noticed that B.O.B. was still playing with the ball.

"Come on, B.O.B.! We've got another mission!" she called out.

"We do? Sweet! Can we get ice cream along the way?" the blue mass asked as Susan pulled him up.

"If you're good," Dr. C said.

"YES!" B.O.B. exclaimed as Insecto made his way to the hangar.

* * *

The relentless sun beat down upon the shifting sepia sands. It was humid, and the wind could clog one's throat with its heaviness. The monsters were situated by an oasis, the life-giving water dappled with sunlight thanks to the sparse vegetation. However, many of these things went unnoticed as the monsters took in the sight before them.

It was a young lady; she had rabbit ears, elongated legs, and sparse fur growing on patches of translucent skin. She was lying face down on the sand, about two feet from the shore of the oasis. Though she was young, her hair was white, and reached the middle of her back. It, along with the rest of her, was splashed with blood, and wounds along her legs suggested that something had ruptured inside her. She wasn't moving.

B.O.B. had wanted to help the rabbit, but Susan told him to let her sleep, biting her lip to keep herself from crying. Link was petting Insecto's foot, and June had turned away, the sight and smell of decay threatening to make her sick. Dr. Cockroach sighed, a pained expression on his face. He was the one to pronounce that the young woman was indeed dead.

The scientists behind them were silent in honor of the victim. After a few minutes had passed, the monsters parted, and Dr. Cockroach motioned for them to remove the body. As the scientists worked, June spoke, her voice barely audible over the stream of conversation.

"So…these transformations can be fatal. Getting really sick is one thing, but _this_…it's brutal," she commented.

Dr. Cockroach gave her a sympathetic look as Monger approached them. His face looked more stern than usual.

"What was the cause of death, Doctor?" he asked the cockroach.

"Sir, it started out the same as the other cases, but this time the human DNA grew weaker as it tried to fight off the foreign DNA. It resulted in both types of DNA unraveling from their double helix form, and ultimately breaking down into a lifeless pile of genes," the doctor explained.

"Gruesome," was the general's comment.

"Have you found Gallaxhar yet, general?" Susan asked, clearly anger in her eyes. It was one thing to go after her, a monster, but ordinary civilians? That was way past the mark.

"Not yet, Ginormica, but you monsters will be deployed as soon as we've pinpointed his location," Monger assured.

Dr. Cockroach scurried up Susan's leg, and patted her knee. She managed a small smile at him, but it disappeared when she saw the sheet covered body being taken back to camp for an autopsy. B.O.B. seemed worried, and asked why the rabbit was bleeding. Dr. Cockroach sighed and told him the true; this caused the happy-go-lucky mass to whimper and hug Susan's shin. Insectosaurus nudged Link, and glanced over at June; she was still watching the scientists. Link rubbed his dorsal fin, and walked over to the tigress.

"We'll find 'em, June," he began.

Huntress didn't say anything, but at least turned her attention to the hybrid beside her.

"It didn't happen to you, so be grateful," he added, before joining the others that were preparing to leave.

June's eyebrows rose in surprise, obviously not expecting something like that from Link. But he was right, though she wouldn't tell him out loud; she should be grateful that she managed to escape unscathed. As a "survivor", she vowed to herself to do what she could to prevent something like this from happening again. She knew that her father would be proud of her dedication, but what about her mother?

June shook her head to rid herself of the seemingly random thoughts, and walked over to the waiting butterfly, her heart heavy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Picking Up the Pieces**

**A/N:** The final chapter! :O Sorry if it's a bit rushed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to look at, read, or comment on this story; it's appreciated!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Monsters vs. Aliens. Just my OC.

**Chapter 9**

Weeks had passed since the incident in the Sahara Desert. The hidden facility hadn't received any new reports regarding monsters. Monger chalked it up to be that the enemy hadn't been anticipating the death, either. Yes, these mystery opponents officially became enemies when they killed a civilian; Gallaxhar was already seen as an enemy. Dr. Cockroach had been working hard on the search for the alien, and Susan had supported him through the tedious task. June had grown restless, and argued with Link almost constantly; sometimes her anger leaked out to the others. Unfortunately, today was B.O.B.'s turn.

The blue mass had oozed up to June with his plate of beloved jello, the latter recently named Jess. The tigress had been curled up in a corner of the common room, glaring at the wall. She knew B.O.B. was now next to her, but ignored him, wanting to be left alone.

"June? Jess wants to say something," the blob said, shoving the plate toward Huntress.

The tigress didn't even once glance at the green jello. B.O.B. tried again.

"Come on, she's trying to comfort you. Listen!" he urged, shoving the gelatin at her again.

This time, June growled, a warning that she was quickly losing her patience. This went unnoticed by the persistent blob.

"Keep trying, Jess—"

"_STOP IT!_" June yelled, swiping the plate away with her arm.

The motion knocked the jello off the plate, and sent it crashing to the floor. Pineapple chunks went flying as the dessert split into a few large pieces. B.O.B. had a shocked expression on his face, and his eye welled up with tears. He pouted and turned his gaze to June.

"Bad kitty!" he yelled, and oozed away from her, taking and cradling a few jello pieces along the way.

June was facing the wall again when Link stormed over.

"What's wrong with you?! B.O.B. was just tryin' to help!"

June stood up with one fluid motion and glared at the fish-man.

"He _knew_ I wanted to be left alone! But he insisted with that _jello_!"

"You knew it was his precious _girlfriend_!"

"His _girlfriend_ wasn't even saying anything!"

"Why'd you have to hurt his feelings?!"

"What would _you_ know about feelings?!"

"_Don't_ change the subject!"

In her anger, Huntress picked up the discarded plate, and whacked Link upside the head with it before storming off to the main door. She pounded on the metal.

"Open up, Monger! I wanna talk to you!"

All she received was a beep as confirmation. Monger was hovering a good distance above the ground. He looked down at the ticked off feline.

"Am I gonna have to sedate you?" he asked.

June glared at him, but eventually shook her head.

"Come with me," the general commanded.

The doors closed as June followed Monger, the plate still in her grip.

"Crazy cat! Needs anger management," Link scowled as he rubbed his pounding skull; he could already feel a bruise forming.

"I know she's been antsy, but this is too far," Susan commented as she held the crying blob close.

Insectosaurus wiped away the remaining jello so that B.O.B. wouldn't be devastated all over again.

"Perhaps I'll talk to her when she comes back," Dr. C suggested as he got ice for Link's wound.

"I don't think it'll help much," Link muttered, "Heartless feline…"

* * *

Hours passed and June still wasn't back yet. B.O.B. had stopped crying, but was too quiet. He sat next to Insecto, looking at the ground with a melancholy face. Susan and Dr. Cockroach had continued with the search for Gallaxhar, and Link watched the door, ready to jump Huntress whenever she came through.

His waiting paid off as he saw the main door come up. June stepped into the common room, her hands behind her back. Her expression was stoic as she made her way to the group of monsters. Link immediately rushed up to her, holding a heating pack to his face, but she swept past him as if he were unimportant.

"Hey!" he called out, getting Susan's and Dr. Cockroach's attention.

The three of them saw June head straight for B.O.B. The azure blob looked up when he heard footsteps, but seemed ready to cry again when he saw who it was. June corned him against the butterfly before he could move, and simply watched him for a moment. When he began to whimper, her expression softened, and she turned her head away as she brought her hands in front of her.

Sitting delicately on a plate, was shiny green jello, whole and filled with even more pineapple chunks.

B.O.B. gasped and looked at June.

"I fixed Jess up," she explained, still looking away.

B.O.B. smiled and took the plate from her.

"Wow, Jess! You look better than ever!" he commented.

"Jess and I already made up so…" June began, turning her head so she could look at B.O.B., her gaze surprisingly soft, "…I'm sorry, B.O.B. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"It's okay! You're a good kitty, after all!"

June then bent down, and nudged B.O.B. with her arm. The now happy mass grinned and petted her ears. After a minute, he stopped and June stood up, a half-smile on her face.

"Take care of her, B.O.B. Okay?" she said, and left him as he cooed to Jess.

"That was sweet," Susan whispered to Dr. Cockroach.

"I agree, my dear. There's more to her than she shows," he replied.

Link smirked at June as she approached him.

"Guilt got to ya, huh?" he asked.

"Nope," she answered, walking past him.

"Liar. Wait…what about me?!" he exclaimed.

"What about you?" she asked, stopping and turning to face the hybrid.

"Uh, this bruise on my face!" he exclaimed.

Huntress narrowed her eyes at the bruise, and then smirked.

"I did that? Nice."

"You are a hateful cat…"

Link paused when June approached him and gently patted the sore area. He figured that this was probably as much TLC as he would get from her. It couldn't hurt to enjoy it, could it?

_Pat…pat…pat…pat…SMACK!_

June walked away as Link yelped in pain, tenderly covering his throbbing bruise. B.O.B.'s laughter didn't help any. Before she reached Ginormica, the main door opened, and Monger flew in.

"We found him," he stated.

* * *

The monster crew was now in Greenland, on the back of the beloved Insectosaurus, fighting against ice and cold temperatures; a piece of the airship's engine was broken, though Link swore that he had nothing to do with it. Insecto's wings were outfitted with the same device that he had used to protect his wings in Antarctica.

As usual, Link, B.O.B., and Huntress didn't need the layers of clothing like Dr. Cockroach and Ginormica. The latter two were huddled down in Insecto's warm fur. Susan held Dr. C close to her, afraid that the icy wind would freeze him. Of course, the doctor had no complaints, enjoying himself despite the fact that they were headed off to capture the dreadful alien.

Link and June weren't arguing for once, both scanning the blinding ground for an expedition camp from the butterfly's nose and head, respectively. They were using hyper-sensitive binoculars, courtesy of the doctor. B.O.B. was closest to Susan, mindlessly going on about how Jess wished them all the best of luck. His babble was appreciated though, as it kept the couples' mind off the temperature.

Soon enough, Link and June found the thought-to-be-abandoned camp, and Insectosaurus made a smooth landing. He let his wings touch the ground so his friends could slide off. The butterfly panted as the others departed and entered a short, dome-shaped building. June and Link waved to him, telling him to rest.

Inside, the metal groaned around the monsters as they walked. Ginormica was able to fit in the building as long as she crawled on all fours. She was thankful that she was wearing extra-thick gloves, especially with the curling scrap metal haphazardly scattered across the floor. The base reeked of chemicals, causing June to wrinkle her nose.

"Lovely spot for research…" Dr. C muttered.

"And a great place for an alien to hide in," Link commented.

"Be ready for an ambush of any kind," Susan warned.

"I'm picking up a strange scent," Huntress began.

"You think this shiny candy's gone bad too?" B.O.B. asked.

"…No. It's calamari…ugh," the tigress grimaced.

"Can of Maury?" B.O.B. asked.

"No, B.O.B. Calamari is another word for squid," Dr. Cockroach explained.

"It's coming from behind that door with the broken top hinge," June continued.

The monsters positioned themselves on either side of the door, and Susan blocked the exits. On Dr. C's signal, the other four knocked the door completely down and rushed into the room. When she didn't hear the sounds of fighting, Ginormica pulled closer to the doorway; she could tell that the room beyond was too small for her to fit into. However, when B.O.B. and Link moved out of the way, what Susan saw made her gasp in surprise.

It was Gallaxhar, all right, strapped to a table with one tentacle missing and an I.V. attached to his right arm; the latter was dripping red-violet liquid into his alien body. Gallaxhar was looking at them with a bored expression, despite looking pale and breathing shallowly.

"Well look who's come to visit," he mumbled.

The others couldn't say anything, not expecting their enemy to be lying helpless. They remained tense, but a few minutes passed without incident; Gallaxhar was alone.

"All right, you earthly scum, quit staring. I assume you've come looking for answers, and I don't have time to ward off your idiotic babble, so get to it," the alien commanded.

Ginormica narrowed her eyes, and when she spoke, her voice was colder than the base she was currently in.

"Why? What was the point in causing innocent people to suffer? Was it some sick game to you?" she raged.

"Oh please. Do you really think I would be strapped to this infernal table if I were busy playing my sick games, as you call it?" Gallaxhar replied.

"Don't lie to us! Why was your DNA in those victims?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

"A dying being wouldn't waste time lying," Gallaxhar huffed.

"…Dying? Missing one tentacle ain't gonna kill ya," Link countered.

"You _imbecile_. Do you not see the I.V. stuck to my arm? That is _poison_. I'm being disposed of," Gallaxhar replied.

It was quiet for a few more minutes until June came up to the alien.

"Tell us what's behind all this," she hissed.

"Ooo! You got a kitty to join you!" Gallaxhar exclaimed, his voice coated in sarcasm.

June growled, but the alien continued as if he hadn't heard her.

"To put it bluntly, there was a group of humans who admired my ingenious plan to take over the world, and…"

"Ingenious, my antenna…" Dr. C muttered.

"Do not interrupt! And these humans decided that an army of _monsters_ was a better way to go about executing the plan. They are the ones responsible for the recent events."

"…Why tell us this? Why not keep your mouth shut?" June inquired.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as humans say. Do you honestly think that I'm happy with being bound to a table and one tentacle short? I was simply a DNA sample that had the potential to strengthen the effects of the DNA that was injected into a specimen," Gallaxhar explained.

"So…they never really admired you?" Link asked, not able to stop himself from smirking. The alien scowled.

"Oh, whatever! At least I told you what was going on, you sea urchin!"

Link frowned as the alien sat back on the table, his breathing becoming more haggard by the minute; the poison in the I.V. was almost gone. June glanced at Link before speaking to Gallaxhar.

"Do you know where we can find this group?"

"…………No. They rarely come together out of paranoia."

"Is there a way we can identify them?"

"………Look for any mention of biological fusion and a blue poinsettia."

Huntress nodded, and stepped away from the bed. All was silent as they watched the last of the poison claim its victim. Gallaxhar had been an enemy, but he had also provided them with valuable information. Their expressions were somber, even B.O.B.'s, although he was just doing it because everyone else was. Eventually, Ginormica scooted away from the doorway as Dr. Cockroach retrieved a walkie-talkie.

"Monger…" he began.

* * *

When the monsters returned to the hidden facility, they noticed that Monger's soldiers and scientists were much more active. They found the general in the common room, atop Susan's proportionate table, eyes burning.

"Thanks to Gallaxhar, we've got a list of the big bosses running the Monster Army operation. Tell me, have any of you heard these names mentioned before?"

Monger then proceeded to read the names: Doris Webb, Joseph Divine, Rosetta Carmichael, and Alexander Jenkins. When the general looked up, he saw that June was stiff and looked uncomfortable. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Huntress…" he coaxed.

A look of confusion, with a hint of hurt, slowly appeared on her face.

"…Carmichael," she nearly whispered.

"June?" Susan asked, worried for her friend. B.O.B., Insecto, Dr. C, and Link also noticed the change in the tigress' attitude.

"What do you know about Rosetta Carmichael?" Monger asked June.

"She's my baby sister."

* * *

**A/N:** Whooo! It's over! xD ..............And stay tuned for the sequel! :D


End file.
